Truth
by aethre
Summary: "Vinyáya's always had a thing for me, devilishly attractive as I am." Book One tag.


**Truth**

**A/N:  **I got bored.  I wrote a one-shot fic.  Obviously, Root/Vinyáya romance.

**Disclaimer:  **I don't own Foaly, Vinyáya and Root.  Some of the Council member's names are mine, though…  You don't know how painful it was to think of the few.  *laughs*  Oh, and up to the point where Foaly leaves the first time, is taken directly from the first Artemis Fowl book.  Can't cite page numbers because I don't have the book in front of my nose, and I was using the floppy disk which is currently in the A Drive as the book mark.

*~*~*~*~*

            "Hey Cudgeon!" Foaly called out to the retreating back.

            The Acting Commander couldn't tolerate that tone, not on his first day.

            "You watch your mouth, Foaly.  No one is dispensable."

            The centaur chuckled, "Very true.  That's the thing about politics, you get one shot."

            Cudgeon was semi-interested in spite of himself.

            "I know if it was me," continued Foaly, "And I had one chance, just one chance, to book my behind a seat on that Council, I certainly wouldn't entrust my future to a troll."

            And suddenly Cudgeon's newfound confidence evaporated, replaced by a shiny pallor.  He wiped his brow, hurrying after the departing hovercage.

            "See you tomorrow," Foaly called after him, "You'll be taking out my trash."

            Root laughed.  Possibly the first time one of Foaly's comments had amused him.

            "Good man, Foaly," He grinned, "Hit that backstabber where it hurts, right in the ambition."

            "Thanks, Julius."

            The grin disappeared faster than a deep-fried slug in a LEP canteen.

            "I've warned you about the Julius thing, Foaly.  Now get that outside line open again.  I want the gold ready when Cudgeon's plan goes awry.  Lobby all my supporters on the Council.  I'm pretty sure Lope's one of mine, and Cahartez, possibly Vinyáya.  She's always had a thing for me, devilishly attractive as I am."

            "You're joking, of course."

            "I never joke," said Root, and he said it with a straight face.  Foaly left the room without another comment.

            "You don't know how right you are, Julius," a voice lowly muttered.

Root recognised it and, without turning around, said, "Wing Commander Ivy Vinyáya.  What are you doing here?"

            "Fifteen minute recess.  Even us Council members need a break," the voice, Ivy, said.

            "What am I right about?" Root asked, wondering what his old friend was talking about.

            "Aren't you ever going to look me in the face, Julius?" Ivy asked mockingly, evading his question.

            "If thou insist," a light smile played on Root's lips as he turned around to face his childhood friend.

            "Yes I do insist," Ivy said, with mock sternness in her voice.  Root met her laughing blue-green eyes.  The crow's feet around her eyes were deeper now, he noticed.

            "How's life been treating you, Ivy?" he asked.

            "Like always.  Harshly.  Those damn men won't listen to me half the time," Ivy grumbled.

            "Oh yes, and the mighty Ivy Vinyáya is never wrong, eh?" Root still had the unusual smile on his lips.

            "How many times must I tell you?  Lili Frond was _not my idea.  She was Lope's.  I've been behind Holly since I got elected," Ivy half glared at him._

            "Holly was thirty when you were elected, Ivy," Root rolled his eyes at Ivy's tendency to exaggerate.  Ivy looked a little put out, "And what was it you were saying before?"

            "I knew that Holly would be good, ever since she was born," Ivy ignored her friend's question.

            "And now she's been kidnapped," Root sighed, his brown eyes grave.

            "And Briar Cudgeon has the stupidity to send a troll in.  I'll argue from your side.  Maybe today will be one of those times that the men will listen to me," Ivy smiled ironically, "No guarantee.  I'll probably be able to convince Amtraz; all I'll have to do is smile."

            "Four people, possibly.  We'll need more," Root ran a hand through his short hair.

            "If we want the majority.  On something like this, Frond will argue that we should have a consensus," Ivy rolled her eyes and laughed silently, "Moron.  There isn't enough time to debate something for that long."

            "Kelp will go against you, no matter what you do," Root groaned.

            "He's so childish," Ivy smiled, absently pushing her dark red hair off her shoulder.

            "Commander!  I've talked to Lope and Cahartez.  I can't find Vinyáya, though," Foaly cantered into the make-shift Ops Booth, "Er, oh.  Never mind," He added when he spotted Ivy.

            "Good, Foaly," Root nodded to him.  Root had complimented the centaur.  One of the very few times.  Ivy giggled slightly behind a small hand.

            "Er, I'm just going to go now…" Foaly backed out of the room.

            "What was that all about?" Root asked, a bit of confusion touching his face.  Ivy looked away and blushed a little.  Root noticed and didn't press the issue; he had learned centuries ago that you did not want to pressure Ivy Vinyáya.

            Ivy twisted her wrist and glanced at her watch, "Three minutes left of the recess.  I've got to run," she turned and made for the door, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.  She turned around and looked in Root's eyes.

            "I think I know what I was right about now," Root murmured and shifted the hand resting on her shoulder to her cheek.  He leaned down and let his lips brush against Ivy's.  Her blue-green eyes widened for a second then fluttered closed.  She moved closer to Root; wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss.  She didn't want that moment to end, though it was her that broke the kiss.

            "I've got to go.  I'm late," she said softly and smiled at him.  She turned and slowly left the room, leaving Root with a bitter-sweet smile on his face.  They had wasted a great deal of centuries, beating around the bush.

*~*~*~*~*

**A/N:  **That was _very short, don't you agree?  Barely 1000 words…  Anyway, this probably won't be continued because I have no plot line or any ideas to continue this.  Also, I already have too many fics on the go; I've had to ditch one…  I'll update it eventually, maybe when I finish __A Dagger, Trolls and the First Ritual.  Why am I even telling you this?  The fic that I ditched is in the Harry Potter section!_

            _~ Mage Kitty =^.^=_


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